ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the effect of very low contact forces on the design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch contacts and on the contact materials that have been employed in MEMS switches. Radio frequency MEMS switches can be used in mobile phones and other communication devices. MEMS switches offer much lower power consumption, much better isolation, and lower insertion loss compared to conventional field-effect transistor and PIN diode switches, however, MEMS switch reliability is a major area for improvement for large-volume commercial applications. Piezoelectric actuators also require high crystallization temperatures which make them difficult to integrate into a MEMS device. With an emphasis on no arcing, the transfer of material between electrical contacts in MEMS devices the minimum arcing voltage is known as “fine transfer”. The integrated circuit community is struggling to develop the future generations of ultralow-power digital integrated circuits and is beginning to examine micro switches.
